The Washington critic., 1887-07-22
OUR CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM.
The Other side OF New Phase of the
Question.


EDITOR Critic; In your Issue of yester-
day you presented clipping from the Mon
trehl Star relative to the unprecedented
frequency of designations In the present U.
s. Civil Service, and, in your comments
thereon, expressed the fear that "the great
est DrotesSed (the italics are my own OBJ
iect thereof is in danger of naturalization
to the detrment Of the Government So
far from being an argument against the
"Reformed Civil Service,n do not the facts
presented form rather, when rightly con-
sidered, an argument In its favor2
IL q greater number Of those entering the
civil service under the present system are
found capable OF filling yet higher and
more lucrative positions than could have
been found in former times, is 1t fair to con
clude that they are indebted solely to their
civil service experience and training for
such superior ftnessY II SO, II is difficult
to perceive how, why or where In a change
merely in the mode and conditions OF ap.
pointment should render the civil service
more susceptible Of conversion into "high
school" or afford any additional facilities
or inducements therefor.
There is no better guaranty Of efficiency
In any position than a fitness for something
higher; and the ambition to become fitted
for and to secure better place is almost
universally admitted to be laudable one.
Is 1t at all likely that at any time, either
before or since the enactment Of the Civil
Service law, any considerable number could
have been found in the service who would
have declined a really advantageous offer in
some other field OF employment? And
would not "the best men In the service" in
the past, think you, have been just as
''ready to drop out at the frat sight OF bet
ter pay" as are those who entered the same
under present rules
The fact that q greater demand exists
ROW than heretofore among business and
professional men, for civil service ap-
pointees to take positions elsewhere, fully
attests their confidence In that policy which
demands Of each applicant, before entering
The serpice, o practical demonstration OF
capacity for something beyond partisan
service In political campaign; and this
very fact is one Of the lealthiest indications
OF true reform, as 1t shows that the civil
service rules are filling the departments
with men and women of such attanments
and aspirations as will insure efficiency and
success IN almost any position.
Even though, as has been suggested, the
"best men in the servicen may, from time
| TO time, "drop out" we can have the salts
faction of knowing that their places will be
taken by those whose attachments and as
| pirations give promise Of like success, and
| not with those who, Handicapped" In the
race by conscious incapacity, possess nc
aspirations and manifest no energy, excep,
| in clinging, barnacle.llke, TO the places Sc
cured only by favor, realizing that they
| never did so well before, and cannot hope
ever to DO so well again should they, by any
chance, lose their powers of ''suctionn aud
fall of into deep water With the expe
rience of tie past before our eyes, It |;
entirely unnecessary to suggest whether the
| old or the nelp methods and conditions oI
| appointment are best calculated to exclude
| the class last indicated.
would not, however, utter word II
disparagement OF the many who were ap
pointed under the old system who have
demonstrated their capacity by years o.
faithful service, while giving due promi
nence to the fact that hundreds Of appoint
ments were made on no other recommends
tion than partisan fidelity, and the ap
pointees clearly evinced their uniltness 70
any other work than that which securet
their appointment and retention.
In conclusion, II the Civil Service law 4
to be reasoned out of existence, 1t will a
least require logical methods Of reasoning
toaccomplish 1t. Z. s. Il,
Washington, July 20.